Disclaimer: These notes are my personal reflections on the Quran and have been organised in a way that identifies and groups different themes that emerge from each chapter, with the intention to help facilitate a deeper understanding, help pinpoint where key messages are located in the Quran, and foster a closer relationship with Allah. May this effort please Him, ameen. I hope that these notes will assist others in their own study and reflection.  Feel free to leave a comment and spark a discussion. If I have made any errors, I apologise and would appreciate it if you could correct me in the comments. These notes are not intended to be authoritative or definitive – please do refer to the original text and do your own research.

The family of Imran

Imran is the father of Mariam (Mary) (as), his wife Hannah falls pregnant at an old age and gives birth to Mariam (as). Zakaria is Mariam’s uncle (Imran’s brother) the prophet, who was entrusted with the care of Mariam (as).

• Mariam (as) – one of the most chaste and pious women and has a high status on Islam. She would be in a room and Zakaria would enter and find food items/provisions there for her and he would ask “where did you get his from?” And she would reply: “It is from Allah. Surely Allah provides for whoever He wills without limit” [3:37]. She received news from the angels that she is pregnant and to her surprise she replied: “How when no man has touched me?” and the angel replied, “So will it be. Allah creates what He wills. When He decrees a matter, He simply tells it  “Be” and it is! [3:47]
• Prophet Isa (Jesus) (as) – He spoke in his infancy [3:46] and was taught the wisdom of the Torah and Gospel [3:48]. He is honoured in this world and the Hereafter and he will be one of those nearest to Allah. [3:45]

Mention of prophets

• Prophet Ibrahim (as) – he was neither a Jew nor a Christian – “he submitted in all uprightness.” [3:67]
• Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) – is no more than a Messenger. [3:144]

advice

• To achieve righteousness – donate from what you cherish to truly achieve righteousness. [3:92]
• Be mindful of Allah in the way He deserves and do not die except in a state of full submission to Him. [3:102]
• Encourage good and forbid evil [3:104] [3:110] – they race with one another in doing good – they are truly among the righteous. [3:114]
• Donate in prosperity and in adversity, control your anger and pardon others. [3:134]
• Remember Allah and ask for forgiveness especially after committing a sin or wronging yourself. [3:135]
• Do not desire worldly gains but desire heavenly gains instead – “Those who desire worldly gain, We will let them have it, and those who desire heavenly reward, We will grant it to them. And We will reward those who are grateful.” [3:145]
• Those who struggle for His cause will enter Jannah – “Do you think you will enter Paradise without Allah proving which of you truly struggled ˹for His cause˺ and patiently endured?” [3:142]
• Do not greedily withhold wealth it is bad for you – “They will be leashed by their necks on the Day of Judgment.” [3:180]
• Believers will surely be tested in your wealth and yourselves – be patient and mindful of Allah [3:186] > patiently endure, persevere, and stand on guard [3:200] (Last verse).

Warnings

• If you yield to the disbelievers, they will drag you back to disbelief, and you will become the losers [3:149]
• Do not be deceived by the prosperity of the disbelievers throughout the land [3:196] It is only a brief enjoyment. The Hell will be their home – what an evil place to rest [3:197]
• Do not be like those who split into sects [3:105]
• Those who disbelieve should not think that living longer is good for them – they are just accumulating more sins – they will suffer a humiliating punishment [3:178]
• “Whoever seeks a way other than Islam it will never be accepted from them, and in the Hereafter they will be among the losers” [3:85]
• Do not consume interest/Riba – multiplying it many times over [3:130]
• If Allah helps you, none can defeat you. But if He denies you help, then who else can help you. So in Allah the believers put their trust [3:160]

The first house of worship

• The First house of worship of Allah was established in Bakkah (Makkah). [3:96]

The day of judgment

• Day of Judgment – some faces will be dark and some will be bright on that Day.[3:106]

Similie

• The good they do in this worldly life is like the harvest of an evil people struck by a bitter wind, destroying it completely. Allah never wronged them but they wronged themselves. [3:117]

Battles

• Battle of Badr – Allah made them victorious where the Muslims were vastly outnumbered [3:123] – Allah sent down thousands of angels as reinforcement. [3:124] [3:125]
• Battle of Uhud – took place to show who are the true believers. [3:140]

the martyrs

• “Never think of those martyred in the cause of Allah as dead – they are in fact alive with their Lord well provided for” [3:169] – rejoicing in Allah’s bounties and being delighted for those yet to join them. There will be no fear for them; nor will they grieve.” [3:170]

Jews

• They used to kill Prophets unjustly. [3:182]

Death

• “Every soul will taste death” – this life is no more than the delusion of enjoyment. [3:185] No soul can ever die without Allah’s will at the destined time. [3:145]